Sister Rose remembered for her IT acumen and helpful nature

An early adopter of computer technology, Sister of Mercy Rose Schoolcraft was known for her prompt and gracious assistance to members of her community who needed help with their computers, smartphones or other gadgets.

Sister Rose died on Sept. 15 after a brief illness. A Memorial Mass was to be held on Sept. 22 at the Fogelstrom Chapel at Immanuel Courtyard in Omaha.

Burial will be at Resurrection Cemetery in Omaha.

Sister Rose was born Sept. 24, 1940, in Kansas City, Kansas, the youngest of James V. and Rose C. Schoolcraft’s three children. After her mother died in 1947, the family moved to Arkansas.

Sister Rose attended Creighton University after high school, earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She later earned a master’s degree from Creighton.

She entered the Sisters of Mercy in 1965, making her final profession in 1972. Sister Rose worked in the community’s finance office until 1991 and was instrumental in forming Catholic Health Corporation, later CHI.

From 1991 until 2006, she was a technology specialist in the Archdiocese of Omaha Catholic Schools Office. She was also the assistant administrator and network administrator-technology specialist at Sacred Heart School in Omaha.

From 2006 until 2009, Sister Rose was the finance director at the Mercy International Centre in Dublin, Ireland. She returned to Omaha in 2009, serving the Sisters of Mercy community in IT until 2023, when she retired.

In her retirement, Sister Rose enjoyed reading and the company of her fellow residents at Immanuel Village Independent Living.

Survivors include the Sisters of Mercy; brothers Joe and Bob (Connie); and nieces and nephews.